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Facing anger on social media and a petitions against his company, the CEO who was caught on video kicking a puppy has now resigned, USA Today reports. "The decision comes as a result of [Desmond] Hague's personal misconduct involving the mistreatment of an animal in his care," says catering company Centerplate in a statement. A Change.org petition calling for his exit garnered nearly 193,000 signatures, while other petitions sought boycotts against Centerplate, which caters at stadiums and other large venues.

"I'd like to apologize for the distress that this situation has caused so many," says the chairman of the company's board. Hague's story could be a lesson to other powerful figures to be on their best behavior, says a PR exec. "The old power structure is dead. You can't stop something from going viral," she notes. "Video evidence is more persuasive than anything else." The British Columbia SPCA has called for abuse charges against Hague, Fortune notes.

He is probably sorry that he didn't kick one of the employees. This one would go away without any waves.

No-Left-Turn

Sep 3, 2014 2:20 PM CDT

Too bad he was not in the NFL. He might have just been suspended for three games. Alternatively, he could have just been a Hollywood star - two weeks in rehab and on to a blockbuster movie. Maybe he could have been a professor, with tenure, or even a government employee protected by a union. I'm glad he lost his job, but working for a corporation makes you more accountable than many other jobs.